Covington GA Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Georgia · SSA Region 04
Approval Rate
64.6%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
7.5 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
257 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
2,715
awaiting hearing
ALJs
9
active judges
Covington GA ALJ Approval Rates and Decision Statistics
Individual judge statistics for 12 months ending July 2026. Click any judge to see detailed performance data.
| Judge | Approval Rate | Denial Rate | Fully Favorable | Total Decisions | Dispositions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melinda McIntyre | 88% | 12% | 83.9% | 392 | 480 |
| Sonya Grounds | 76.3% | 23.7% | 75.1% | 177 | 226 |
| Paul McAdam | 75.7% | 24.3% | 68.7% | 329 | 427 |
| Brooke Werner McEckron | 66.9% | 33.1% | 55.8% | 414 | 479 |
| L. Ellis Davis | 61.2% | 38.8% | 48.4% | 436 | 501 |
| Joseph Bestul | 56.8% | 43.2% | 42.8% | 451 | 535 |
| Wylly Jordan III | 56.2% | 43.8% | 49.3% | 73 | 93 |
| Wylly Jordan | 49.8% | 50.2% | 46.8% | 293 | 362 |
| Kristen Glover | 48% | 52% | 36.7% | 371 | 429 |
Former Judges at Covington GA
This judge has no recorded decisions at Covington GA in the 12 months ending July 2026. Figures below cover each judge's own last twelve reported months, ending in the month shown.
| Judge | Last Decisions Reported | Approval Rate | Total Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| William L Hogan | December 2024 | 59.4% | 219 |
Approval rates here cover each judge's own trailing window ending in the month shown, so they are not directly comparable with the current roster above or with national figures.
About the Covington GA Social Security Hearing Office
The Covington GA hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in Georgia. This office is in SSA Region 04 and currently has 9 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 64.6%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. This higher-than-average rate reflects the combined decision patterns of all judges at this office. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 48% to 88%, a 40-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7.5 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 257 days. There are currently 2,715 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 302 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 56.4%. A fully favorable decision means the claimant receives benefits from the onset date they requested, as opposed to a partially favorable decision which may award benefits from a later date.
How to Interpret Covington GA Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Covington GA, thorough case preparation is especially important. Since judge assignments are rotational, the specific ALJ assigned to a case is not known in advance — ensuring medical evidence and vocational documentation are comprehensive can help regardless of which judge presides.
With an average wait time of 7.5 months and 257 days average processing time, claimants at Covington GA can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Covington GA have collectively issued 2,936 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 326 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 73 to 451 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Covington GA Hearing Office FAQ
How often are disability cases approved at Covington GA?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 48% to 88%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 56.4%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Covington GA?
What is the average case processing time at Covington GA?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 months. Wait times are snapshots from the most recent SSA data release and can shift as caseloads, staffing, and scheduling capacity change.
How is office data calculated?
How often do judges at Covington GA issue fully favorable decisions?
Is Covington GA's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
ALJ Statistics: Powered by Chronicle
Chronicle monitors the ERE daily so disability attorneys never miss a document, questionnaire, or hearing notice. Trusted by 100+ law firms as their virtual SSA mailroom software.